Shoestring having removable ornaments.



No. 782,604. y PATENTED PEB. 14, 1905.

i c. A. FUNK. vSHONSTRING HAVING RBMOVABLE ORNAMENTS.

APPLIATION FILED NGV. 18, 1904.

UNITED STATES Patented February 14, 1905.

CHARLES A. FUNK, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

SHOESTFHNC?` HAVING FKENIOVABLE ORNAMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 782,604; dated February 14, 1905.

Application filed November 18, 1904,. Serial No. 233,236.

1'0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. FUNK, a citizen of the United States, residingat Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Shoestring Having Removable Ornaments; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and iigures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to shoestrings or lacers for lacing shoes of the class that are commonlyworn by human beings; and the invention has reference particularly to the ornamentation of the ends of the strings, so as to render them attractive rather than unsightly in appearance when in use, the object of the invention being to provide the ends of the stringswith tassels or similar ornaments which may be temporarily detached from the strings to permit their ends to be passed ornaments, as hereinafter particularly described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view ofa shoe having one of theV improved shoestrings connected therewith; Fig. 2, a perspective view of the Shoestring having the ornament detached from the shoe; A

Fig. 3, a perspective View of an end of a shoe-` string having an improved form of metallic tip adapted to holdthe improved ornament on the string; Fig. 4f, a transverse sectional view on the line l 1 in Fig. 3; Fig. 5, an elevation of the outer end of the main body part of the ornament as preferably constructed; Fig. 6, a side View of the removable core of the ornament-body; Fig. 7, a longitudinal central sectional view of the ornament-body connected to an end of a string; and Fig. Sis a longitu-y dinal central sectional view of the ornamenti" body without its core. The covering of the body of the ornament and the fringe are omitted in Figs. 3 to 8, inclusive.

Similar reference characters iii the drawings designate like parts or features.

In the drawings, a designates a shoe prof vided with lacing-holes Zi, as is customary, the improved Shoestring A being laced in the holes and tied in the form of a bow c, the ends (l and d' of the string being provided with the novel ornaments B and B', which are alike in form and appearance, the external appearance of the ornaments, however, being subject to change to suit tastes and requirements of the trade, and any suitable style of covering' and fringe may be applied to the body of the ornament element.

rlhe ends of the Shoestring A are each provided with a metallic tip O, which serves to' guide the end, as d, through the Vlacing-holes of the shoe and also serves to connect the ornament-body to the end of'the string. The tip extends about the end of the string and is compressed thereon and suitably secured thereto, thetip being convex at one side and concave at the opposite side thereof, the portions e and f of the tip being joined, as at g, and formed concave.

The main body part D of each ornament may be of any suitable form, preferably circular, and it may either be finished suitably on its surface or it may be covered by any suitableY fabric or material, ,the main body part D having an aperture /L extending therethrough longitudinally or from the base 2 to the extremity 3 of the body part, and in the aperture at the extremity 3 is a screwthread c'.

A groove or recess y' extends in the body pait D in a side of the aperture /t from the extremity 3 nearly to the base end 2, terminating at a shoulder k, the bottom of the groove being concave transversely. y

A core E is fitted removably in the aperture /L of the main body part D and forms a detachable part of the ornament-body, and the core is provided with a screw-thread Z at an tends nearly to the shoulder 1, so as to nearly cover the groove j' in the body part D.

The tip C of the string lies in the recess 7' and is opposed by the body of the core E, the end (Z or d of the string extending from the rear end of the tip over the Shoulder is and out of the aperture z at the base end of the body part D at the end of the core E. The

y substance of the String being flexible permits it to bend over the shoulder It, while the tip C, being metallic and stitfened by reason of its transverse curvature, will not bend and draw out of the groove over the shoulder r. Hence the ornament may be retained on the end of the Shoestring under the usual conditions of service. A

In the smaller sizes and cheaper quality of ornaments the body D and the head m of the core E may be suitably ornamented or finished on their external surfaces, and when desired to be more elaborate fabric may be Woven over the body D with fringe extending over the head m. In some cases fabric may be attached, by means of cement, to the bodyas Well as to the head, and obviously the body may be covered with Woven fabric, and a fringe may be attached suitably to the head m of the core.

In practical use in order to apply a shoestring to a shoe the cores E should be Withdrawn from the main body parts D, thus releasing the tips C of the String, Which may then be Withdrawn 'from the grooves or recesses j' and out of the apertures it. Then the string may be run through the lacing-holes b, and if the shoe be then placed on a foot 4the .Shoestring may be tied as usual, leaving the ends of the string extend from the bow or knot. The ornaments may be again connected to the string ends either before or after the string may have been tied. In order to connect an ornament to a string end, the core E must first be Withdrawn from the body part D. Then the tip C Should be pushed into the aperture /L of the main body part until the end of the tip projects slightly beyond the end 3 of the body part, so that the tip may be placed into the groove j'. The core E may then be entered and pushed into the aperture /L and then Screwed to its proper position, the tip being easily drawn back until stopped by the shoulder it, the tip being thus securely locked in its recess j.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new isl. A Shoestring including a metallic tip, an ornament mounted removably on the tip, and means securing the ornament detachably on the tip. l

2. A Shoestring including a metallic tip provided With a removable cover in which the tip is inclosed, and means securing the cover detachably on the tip.

3. A Shoestring having a metallic tip, and an ornament comprising a body part having an opening therein into Which the tip extends, and a locking part connected detachably to the body part and securing the tip removably thereto.

4. A Shoestring including an ornament having a recess therein and also having a removable core extending partially over the recess, and a tip fixed to an end of the string and removably held in the recess of the ornament at a side of the core thereof.

5. A Shoestring provided with an ornament comprising a main body part having an aperture extending therethrough and a recess at a side of theaperturel and also a shoulderat an end of theerecess, and a core detachably extending in the aperture and nearly covering the recess of the body part, the Shoestring having an end thereof removably secured in the recess of the ornament and retained by the core and the shoulder.

6. A Shoestring having a metallic tip, and an ornament comprising a main body part having an aperture therein and a screw-thread in and extending into the aperture of the body part in engagement with the tip, the body part having a shoulder at the end of the recess preventing the Withdrawal of the tip therefrom, and the thread of the core engaging the thread in the aperture of the body part.

7. The combination with a Shoestring, of a tip secured ixedly to an end thereof and Shaped concavo convex transversely, an ornamentbody part having a recess therein receiving the tip, and a core detachably connected in the body part in engagement With the concave portion of the tip, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES A. FUNK.

Witnesses:

CHARLES W. MCNARY, RoYE. RESSLER.

IOO

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